A new challenger has entered the ring, and that ring is filled with a ton of competition. Even then, F.B Mondial is still powering through with its new model, the Piega 452, a naked streetfighter that’s A2 compliant and something of a head turner.
You could say that the Italian firm will be jumping into rather treacherous waters coming into the 2024 model year. CFMoto has its 450s all lined up and ready to go in multiple segments, Honda bumped a few updates into its lineup, KTM has their updated 390 range, Aprilia showed off its RS 457 for the first time, and Kawasaki has a new lineup of 500s as well.
All those and more “sharks” have infested the segment, and with A2-compliance heavy on the minds of manufacturers right now, F.B Mondial’s decided to also throw their hat into the ring, do a cannonball, and swim with the Piega 452. A new bike for the 2024 model year, the sport-naked motorbike has a few things that are going for it that may just tip the scales in its favor.
What the Piega 452 has going for it is its unique design just like its 125cc brother. Everything on the bike is rather novel, from its dual exit exhaust system to its interesting headlight design, the fairings on its side and under chassis, and best of all, its single-sided swingarm. Even as an A2 motorcycle, the Piega exhibits a rather exotic look, making it a rather impressive motorcycle to look at in comparison to the "standard" stuff that the other big names are fielding.
Engine-wise, we’re looking at a 449.5cc parallel-twin motor that punches out 47 horsepower and 28.76 pound-feet of torque and is mated to a six-speed transmission, and the power unit sips from a fuel tank capacity set at 2.64 gallons. Full of oil, coolant, and fuel it weighs 388 pounds (dry weight is at 350 pounds).
When it comes to handling hardware, F.B Mondial equips it with an upside-down 41-millimeter (1.6-inch) diameter fork setup with a monoshock in the rear. We can also find a four-piston Brembo caliper in the front which is quite impressive for the segment since other brands tend to go with either Bybre or J.Juan for their systems.
Meanwhile, the rims and the tires that the Italian brand has fitted on this bike are a step up compared to the 110/70 and 150/60 OEM sets. The F.B Mondial Piega 452 gets a 120/70-wide tire in the front on a 17-inch cast aluminum rim, while the rear gets a 160/60-width tire, also on a 17-inch cast rim.
Tech, safety, and other bits of riding kit include a TFT display with smartphone connectivity, a slipper clutch, traction control, and ABS as standard.
Now considering the landscape of the market right now, there is something to be said about the style of this bike. It’s definitely something you won’t see every day, and as far as A2 motorcycles are concerned, this looks like the most interestingly-styled bike of the bunch so far—arguably.
